MINEOLA BIBLE INSTITUTE AND SEMINARY Page | 1 Church History Outlines Radically Biblical, Apostolic, Christianity Bishop D.R. Vestal, PhD Larry L Yates, ThD, PhD “Excellence in Apostolic Education since 1991” 1 Page | 2 Copyright © 2019 Mineola Bible Institute All Rights Reserved This lesson material may not be used in any manner for reproduction in any language or use without the written permission of Mineola Bible Institute. 2 Chronology of Christianity A. D. 1-36?--------- Life of Jesus Christ Page | 3 1-------------- First year in Christian calendar, which is presently used in unison with the Gregorian calendar almost everywhere in the world. (a.d. = Anno Domini) Augustus (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus) is emperor of Rome. 6-------------- Herod Archelaus deposed by Augustus; Samaria, Judea and Idumea annexed as Iudaea Province under direct Roman administration, capital at Caesarea, Quirinius became Legate (Governor) of Syria, conducted first Roman tax census of Iudaea, opposed by Zealots. 6-9----------- Coponius: Roman Prefect of Iudaea (Samaria, Judea, and Idumaea). 7-26---------- Brief period of peace, relatively free of revolt and bloodshed in Iudaea & Galilee. 9-------------- Pharisee leader, Hillel the Elder, dies, rise of Shammai. 14-37-------- Tiberius I, emperor of Rome. 18-36-------- Caiaphas, appointed High Priest of Herod’s Temple by Prefect Valerius Gratus, deposed by Syrian Legate Vitellius. 19------------ Jews, Jewish Proselytes, Astrologers, expelled from Rome (Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Tiberius 36, Leob Classics). 25?----------- Assumption (Testament) of Moses, original Hebrew extant Latin (Apocrypha). 26-36-------- Pontius Pilate: Roman Prefect of Iudaea (Samaria, Judea, and Idumea). 27-34?------- Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, 28-29? 32?-- John the Baptist, a Nazirite, and relative of Jesus, begins his ministry in “15th year of Tiberius.” Arrested and beheaded by Herod Antipas. 28-30-36?----Jesus’ ministry, Sermon on the Mount, appointed Twelve Apostles, disturbance at Herod’s Temple. Crucified on Friday Nisan 14th, March 30th. Last Supper would have been Thursday evening. Gospel of Peter of Nisan 15th (Syoptic Gospels). Entombed by Pharisees, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus of the Sanhedrin, resurrected by God, appeared to Paul of Tarsus, Simon Peter, Mary 3 Magdalene, and others; Great Commission; Ascension; prophecy of Second Coming. 36-37?--------Jerusalem Church founded, first Christian Church, about 120 Jews and Jewish Proselytes. Pentecost, Ananias and Sapphira incident, Pharisee Gamaliel spoke in defense of the Apostles. Saul of Tarsus has Saint Stephen stoned (killed), Page | 4 (Persecution of Christians) and the Church dispersed. Simon Magus baptized in Samaria. Philip, the Evangelist, baptized an Ethiopian eunuch. 37------------ Saul, whose named changed to Paul, was converted on the Road to Damascus. 37-41-------- Gaius Caligula emperor of Rome, declared himself god. 40------------ Paul goes to Jerusalem to consult with Peter. 40?----------- Simon Peter baptized Roman Centurion, Cornelius, considered first Gentile convert to Christianity. Antioch Church founded; it was there that the term, Christian, was first used. 41-54-------- Claudius emperor of Rome, killed by poisoning by his wife, Agrippina. 44------------ St. James the Great, brother of John, killed by Herod Agrippa I. 45-49?------- Paul’s 1st mission with Barnabas, to Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (there they were called “gods…in human form”), then return to Syrian Antioch. 48-49-------- Council of Jerusalem, 1st Christian Council, doctrine regarding circumcision and dietary law is agreed to by the apostles, written in a letter addressed to the “brothers of Gentile origin in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.” 49-50-------- Paul in Corinth. 50?----------- Peshitta translation began. 50-------------Passover riot in Jerusalem, 20-30,000 killed. 50?----------- Council of Jerusalem, “Apostolic Decree.” 50-57?------- Paul’s 2nd mission. Split with Barnabas, to Phrygia, Galatia, Macedonia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, “he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken,” then return to Antioch; 1 Thessalonians, Galatians written. 51-52-------- Paul writes 2 Thess. 52?------------Saint Thomas Christians of India. 4 53-62-------- Paul’s 3rd mission to Galatia, Phrygia, Corinth, Ephesus, Macedonia, Greece, Jerusalem, there James the Just challenged him about rumor of teaching antinomianism. He addressed a crowd in their language (most likely Aramaic). Romans, I Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Philippians written? Page | 5 54-68-------- Nero emperor of Rome. 55?-----------“Egyptian Prophet” and 30,000 unarmed Jews doing The Exodus reenactment massacred by Procurator Antonius Felix. 57------------ Paul’s last visit to Jerusalem. 58------------ Paul arrested, imprisoned in Caesarea. Accused of being a revolutionary, “ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,” teaching resurrection of the dead. 59?----------- Paul shipwrecked on Malta, there he was called a god. 59------------ Nero kills his mother, Agrippina. 60-63?--------Paul in Rome: greeted by many “brothers,” three days later, called together the Jewish leaders, who hadn’t received any word from Judea about him, but were curious about “this sect,” which everywhere is spoken against; he tried to convince them from the “Law and Prophets,” with partial success, said the Gentiles would listen and spent two years proclaiming the “Lord Jesus Christ.” He was imprisoned in Rome. Epistle to Philemon written? 61-63?------- Paul writes Ephesians. 61-63-------- Paul writes Colossians. 61-63?------- Paul? writes 1, 2 Timothy, Titus, known as “pastoral epistles.” 62?----------- James, written by leader of Jerusalem community? “catholic epistle. 62------------ Paul martyred for treason in Rome. 62------------ Nero kills his wife, Octavia and marries Poppaea Sabina. He was also a homosexual. 62------------ James the Just stoned to death for law transgression by High Priest, Ananus ben Artanus, popular opinion against act results in Ananus being deposed by new procurator, Clodius Albinus. 62-68---------Paul beheaded (martyred) for treason in Rome. 5 63-107?------Simeon, 2nd bishop of Jerusalem, crucified under Trajan. 64-68---------Great fire of Rome started by Nero. He blamed and persecuted the Christians. {Therefore, to squelch the rumor, Nero created scapegoats and subjected Page | 6 to the most refined tortures, those whom the common people called “Christians,” (a group) hated for their abominable crimes. Their name comes from Christ, who, during the reign of Tiberius, had been executed by the procurator, Pontius Pilate. Suppressed for the moment, the deadly superstition broke out again, not only in Judea, the land which originated this evil, but also, in the city of Rome, where all sorts of horrendous and shameful practices from every part of the world, converge and are fervently cultivated}. “…a vast multitude were convicted, not so much of the crime of incendiary ism, as of hatred, of the human race. And in their deaths, they were made the subjects of sport; for they were wrapped in the hides of wild beasts and torn to pieces by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set on fire, and when day declined, were burned to serve for nocturnal lights.” Tacitus Annals 15.44; Marginal Jew; Meier, p.89-90. 64-95?------- 1 Peter written in Rome, by Peter, the apostle?, “catholic” epistle 65-125------- Period in which 4 Gospels, Acts, Revelation, and remaining epistles written - Peter 6 martyred before 1st Holy Gospel is written, 7 Popes before last epistle is completed. 65?----------- Q document written, (German: Quelle, meaning “source”) a hypothetical Greek Page | 7 text, thought by many critical scholars to have been used in the writing of Matthew and Luke. 65-150------- Didache: Instructions of the Apostles written. 65-150------- Dialogue of the Saviour, Gospel of Peter. 65-150------- Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1224 fragments: pub. 1914. 65-150------- Gospel of Thomas written, based on Q?, pub. 1959, Greek originals: Papyrus Ox. 1,654-5. 65-175------- Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 840 fragments: pub. 1908. 65-175------- Papyrus Egerton 2 (Unknown Gospel) fragments: pub. 1935/87, in Greek from Palestine, one of the oldest extant Christian texts (~175). 65-250------- Papyrus Fayum (P. Vindob. G. 2325) fragments: pub.1887. 65-350------- “Jewish-Christian Gospels:” 7 fragments of Gospel of the Ebionites and 7 fragments of Gospel of the Hebrews in Greek; 36 fragments of Gospel of the Nazarenes in Aramaic; [Ref: NT Apocrypha, W. Schneemelcher, vol. 1] 66-73-------- Roman-Jewish War: final destruction of Herod’s Second Temple, Qumran (Essenes?) community destroyed by Rome, site of Dead Sea Scrolls found in 1947- 1949? 67------------ Peter martyred, crucified upside down in Rome. 67-78-------- Pope Linus, 2nd Pope, succeeds Peter (Linus mentioned in 2 Tim. 4, 21). 67------------ General Vespasian of Rome conquers Galilee. 68------------ Nero commits suicide. 7 68------------ Galba, emperor of Rome. 68-107------- Ignatius, third bishop of Antioch, fed to the lions in Rome, advocated the bishop, rejected Sabbath? His letters were subjected to heavy Christian forgery Page | 8 especially 4th century (Apostolic Fathers). 69------------ Otho, emperor of Rome. 69------------ Vitellius, emperor of Rome. 69------------ Flavian Dynasty of Rome (Vespian, Titus, Domitian). 69-79-------- Vespian, emperor of Rome, quells unrest in Rome and Jerusalem. 70------------ Collapse of